Kuroda roughed up vs. Rays, as Yanks drop to 0-2

Kuroda roughed up vs. Rays, as Yanks drop to 0-2

Brian Blanco/EPA

Hiroki Kuroda (c.) is taken off the mound by Yankees manager Joe Girardi after Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Desmond Jennings hits an RBI single during the sixth inning.

TAMPA BAY RAYS 8, YANKEES 6

ST. PETERSBURG Is it too early to press the panic button?

Of course it is, but that doesnt mean the Yankees are feeling good about themselves following their second straight loss to open the season, an 8-6 defeat at the hands of the division-rival Rays.

Its early, Nick Swisher said. I can understand where a lot of people would t hink that, especially with the expectations of this team coming in. We have a great team, so we have to come out here tomorrow and start proving that.

Hiroki Kurodas Yankees debut was less than memorable, as the veteran was knocked around for six runs (four earned) in 5 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits and four walks.

After falling behind 4-0 and 8-2, the Yankees clawed their way back into the game with four runs in the ninth, three of them on a monster home run by Swisher off Joel Peralta. Robinson Cano worked a walk against Jake McGee, prompting Joe Maddon to bring in Fernando Rodney the fourth pitcher of the inning to face Alex Rodriguez, who now represented the tying run.

A-Rod couldnt complete the comeback, grounding a hard shot up the middle on the first pitch, where Sean Rodriguez was positioned perfectly to make the final play of the game.

Must be the computer stuff, A-Rod said of the Rays incessant shifting. All yo u can do is get a good pitch to hit and smoke it. Theyll find holes. Im happy with the way guys swung the bats one through nine. We could have scored 10 runs; we scored six.

Maddons constant strategies proved to be perfect as the Rays robbed the Yankees of several would-be hits with their various shifting and positioning.

Mark Teixeira was the victim of the shift in the eighth as he came to bat with runners at second and third and one out against Josh Lueke. Teixeira lined a shot into right, but Sean Rodriguez had moved from second base into short right field, making an easy play on the liner and doubling Cano off at second base. This club shifts more than any club in baseball, Joe Girardi said. Youre going to hit some balls at people hard. Thats baseball and youve got to deal with it, find a way to just keep going at it.

The Yankees fell to 0-2 on the young season, leaving them tied with the Red Sox in the basement of the American Lea gue East. The Bombers will turn to Phil Hughes Sunday as they try to avoid being swept in their season-opening series.

We just have to stay focused, A-Rod said. There are some good things were doing out there. Sometimes the hardest one in everything is the win column. Hopefully we get one tomorrow and get on a nice roll.

Eduardo Nunezs first-inning error opened the door for two unearned runs against Kuroda, but the Rays added a run in the second and another in the third, taking a 4-0 lead.

The Yankees cut the lead in half with a pair in the fourth, but Kuroda gave up two more in the sixth, ending his night after 5 2/3 uninspiring innings.

Overall I wasnt really sharp, but especially I didnt have my command today, Kuroda said through a translator. Its really disappointing.

Kuroda wasnt the only Yankee pitcher to struggle in his debut, as Clay Rapada had a rough time in the seventh. Carlos Pena led off with a wal k, then Evan Longoria drilled a two-run homer to right field - or so he thought.

Swisher protested immediately that a fan had reached over the wall and snatched the ball below the yellow line, which would be fan interference. Girardi asked for a video review. The umpires ultimately ruled in the Bombers favor, calling it a double.

I just wanted them to look at it, because in a situation like that, I dont want to be the guy that doesnt say anything and a double ends up being a home run, Swisher said.

It didnt matter, as Rapada gave up a two-run bloop single by Matt Joyce, stretching the Rays lead to 8-2.

The Yankees eighth-inning rally was cut short on Teixeiras liner into the shift, but a sac fly by Raul Ibanez and Swishers three-run homer pulled the Yankees within two in the ninth before the Rays escaped with the win.

Were two games in right now and it hasnt really gone the way we would have liked for it to, Sw isher said. We have to keep battling, keep fighting and stick together as a team because we know were going to do a lot of special things.